Presho, SD – Kansas was a non-stop whirlwind of activity this year. It appeared our long run of rainy days was finally behind us, and the crew never once had a day off until the last field was harvested. That’s not to say there wasn’t rain in the area, though. On more than one occasion, big billowing clouds transitioned to dark blue skies filled with thunder and lighting. Somehow they always managed to steer clear of our fields, but there were surrounding areas that saw significant rain delays during harvest.
Southwest Kansas may have a reputation for being hot, dry and windy; but this year was very different. Not once did we exceed 100 degrees while here, and many days were still with high humidity. Our non-stop streak of harvesting was almost ruined on our final field, though. Light showers almost sent us home for the day, but we finally got running that afternoon and finished before a storm swept through the area. The following evening another storm chased us out of the field as we hurried to finish cleaning machines. We drove home in the rain that night, excited to have wrapped up Kansas.
Unfortunately, our excitement faded to disappointment as we learned we had lost our work in Nebraska. Dry conditions damaged the wheat so badly that half of our acres had been tilled up already. What was left of that poor crop was going to be harvested by other local farmers who likely had plenty of time on their hands. It’s a stark reminder of the trickle-down effect a crop failure has. Grocery stores, fuel retailers, and RV parks all lose out when harvest crews bypass their local economies. It’s a tough pill to swallow for everyone, harvesters included.
With Nebraska a no-go, the crew headed towards WaKeeney, Kansas (an area that had seen numerous rain delays during harvest), but unfortunately nothing materialized for us there. As we planned our next move, we discovered a discouraging amount of detours. Road construction seemed to plague every major road north, especially our normal route to South Dakota. A new travel itinerary might sound adventurous, but it’s less so when you’re pulling a wide load on a 102 degree day up steep inclines of the desolate Nebraska Sandhills. But the trip went smoothly, and we decided to make a stop in Presho, South Dakota.
This is an area where we have not been before, but a lot of wheat is grown here. It’s been hard to not feel a little disappointed lately, but a surprise detour means the chance for new opportunities. We’ve been busy making phone calls and leveraging our contacts, and we have high hopes we can find some work to fill this unexpected gap in our schedule.
